Now You See Me... (29 page)

Molly’s Butternut Squash Quiche

(compliments of my daughter Sabina)

1 butternut squash, or one package precooked squash
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar or Splenda sugar substitute
½ stick margarine, softened
2 cups soy milk or
pareve
(nondairy) creamer
3 eggs
cinnamon

Buy a box of precooked squash. Or . . . wash and pierce a squash and bake at 350° F. for an hour and a half, or until soft. Scoop out the flesh, and mash it in a bowl.

Add flour, sugar (or Splenda sugar substitute), softened margarine, soy milk (it’s nondairy) or nondairy creamer, and eggs. Whisk, or use an electric mixer for a smoother consistency.

Pour into quiche pan or round aluminum pan. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Bake at 350° F for an hour and fifteen minutes or until golden brown.

Serve hot or at room temperature. Cold isn’t bad, either.

Serves eight to twelve people, depending on how generously you slice it.

One slice is never enough. ☺

Glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish Words

abba (noun, ab’-ba). Father.

Baruch Hashem (Ba-ruch’ Ha-shem’). Thank God. Literally, Blessed be God.

bashert (noun or adjective, ba-shert’). Destiny, or destined.

bas Yisroel (noun, bas Yis-ro’-el). Daughter of Israel. A complimentary description.

Besser gornisht tsu machen aider tsu machen gornisht. Better to do nothing than to make something into nothing.

bris
(noun). Literally, a covenant. The ritual circumcision performed on a male when he is eight days old.

bubaleh (noun, bub’-ba-leh). Little doll; little grandmother. (Affectionate term.)

challa (noun, chal’-la or chal-la’). Braided loaf of bread. Plural: challot (chal-lot’) or challas (chal’-las). See my book, Dream House, for recipe.

Chanukah (noun, Cha’-nu-kah). Eight-day Festival of Lights in the Jewish month of Kislev, which usually falls in December or in late November.

Chas v’shalom (chas ve-sha’-lom, or chas ve-sha-lom’). God forbid.

chulent (noun, chu’-lent). Sabbath stew made of meat, potatoes, barley, and several kinds of beans.

chuppa (noun, chup’-pa). Wedding canopy.

chutzpadik (adjective, chutz’-pa-dik). Audacious; galling.

chutzpah (noun, chutz’-pah). Audacity; gall.

daven (verb, da’-ven). To pray.

drash
(noun). Sermon.

dreidel (noun, drā’-del). A four-sided top used to play games on Chanukah.

d’var Torah (noun, d-var’ to’-rah). Sermonette, explication on the Torah.

eruv (noun, e’-ruv; also, e-ruv’). An artificial or natural boundary within which one may carry items on the Sabbath.

frum (adjective). Used to describe someone who observes Orthodox Judaism.

get
(noun). Jewish bill of divorce.

Gut voch
.
A good week. A phrase uttered after the Sabbath ends to wish someone a good week, and the title of a song. In Hebrew, Shavuah tov.

Hashem (noun, Ha-shem’). God.

hatzolah (noun, ha-tzo’-lah). Rescue. Also, hatzalah (ha-tza-lah’).

havdalah (noun, hav-dal’-lah or hav-da-lah’). Literally, separation. The blessing that marks the end of the Sabbath and separates it from the rest of the week.

ima (noun, ee’-ma). Mother.

kenehoreh (ke-ne-hor’-eh). Also, ke’naynehoreh (ke-nain’-e-hor’-eh). A frequently used phrase that is an elision of keyn ayin horeh (kān a’-yin hor’-eh). Let there be no evil eye.

ketsaleh (noun, ket’-sa-leh). Kitten (endearment).

Kiddush (noun, kid’-dush or kid-dush’). A prayer recited over wine at the beginning of a Sabbath or holiday meal. Also refers to refreshments served after synagogue services on the Sabbath or other Jewish holidays.

kindt
(noun). Child.

Kleine kinder, kleine freiden; groisseh kinder, groisseh laiden (phrase, klein’-e kin’-der, klein’-e freid’-en; grois’-seh kind’-der, grois’-seh lai’-den). Small children, small joys; bigger children, bigger sorrows.

Kol ha’kavod (phrase, kol ha-ka-vod’). Kudos.

kosher (adjective, ko’-sher). Ritually correct. Most often used in reference to dietary laws.

lashon harah (noun, la-shon’ ha-rah’; also, loshen horeh (lo’-shen ho’reh). Slander, gossip.

L’cha Dodi (l’-cha’ do-di’). Sabbath song, part of Friday night prayer service. Literally, “Come, My Beloved.”

mammeleh (noun, mam’-me-leh). Little mother (endearment).

mandelbrot (noun, man’-del-brot). Almond-flavored biscotti. Literally, almond bread. Also,
mandelbroyt.

Mazel tov (ma’-zel tov). Literally, Good luck; figuratively, Congratulations. Also,
Mazal to f.

mechallel Shabbos (verb or noun, me-chal’-lel shab’-bos). One who violates the Sabbath, or to violate the Sabbath. Also,
mechallel Shabbat
(me-chal-lel’ shab-bat’).

mechitza (noun, me-chi’-tza). Partition in a synagogue or hall to separate men and women.

menuval (noun, me-nuv’-el). A loathsome person. Also, adjective, (me-nu-val’), loathsome.

mikvah (noun, mik’-vah). Ritual bath. Also, mikveh.

mishpacha (noun, mish-pa’-cha or mish-pa-cha’). Family.

mitzvot (noun, plural, mitz-vot’). Positive commandments. Also, mitzvos (mitz’-vos).

negel vasser (noun, ne’-gel vas’-ser). A ritual daily rinsing of hands performed upon rising.

oitzerel (noun, oi’-tze-rel). Little treasure (endearment).

Olam Habah (noun, o’-lam ha’bah; also: o-lam’ ha-bah’). The afterlife, the world to come.

Pesach (noun, pe’-sach). Passover.

qvell
(verb). To take joyous pride in.

Rambam (noun, Ram’-bam or Ram-bam’). Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, also known as Maimonides. A renowned twelfth-century scholar, he served as physician to the sultan of Egypt and authored the
Mishna Torah,
a systemic codification of Jewish law, and
The Guide to the
Perplexed.

Seder (noun, se’-der). Feast held on the eve of the first day of Passover, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt. Plural,
sedorim,
or, colloquially,
Seders.
Jews living outside of Israel observe a second Seder on the eve of the second day.

segulah (noun, se-gu’-lah; se-gu-lah’). An object or prayer connecting the recipient with a special beneficial quality; treasured possession.

Shabbat (noun, Shab-bat’). Sabbath. Also, Shabbos (shab’-bes).

Shabbat shalom (Shab-bat’ sha-lom’). May you have a good Sabbath.

shadchan (noun, shad’-chan). Matchmaker.

shadchonim (noun, plural, shad-chon’-im). Matchmakers.

shain kindt
(phrase, shine kindt). Beautiful child (endearment).

Shavuah tov (Sha-vu’-ah tov). A good week. See Gut voch, above.

sheitel (noun, shei’-tel). Wig.

shekel (noun, shek’-el). A monetary unit, a coin. Plural, shekalim (sheka-lim’) or colloquially, shekels.

shepseleh (noun, shep’-se-leh). Little lamb (endearment).

sheyfeleh (noun, diminutive, shā’-fe-le). Little lamb (endearment).

Sh’ma (noun and verb, she-ma’). Literally, hear. The first word of a prayer recited three times daily. Parents recite this prayer with their young children at bedtime.

shidduch (noun, shid’-duch). Arranged match between a man and a woman.

shiva (noun, shiv’-a or shiv-a’). Literally, seven; the seven days of mourning for a deceased relative.

shofar (noun, sho’-far). Trumpet, or ram’s horn used on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

sholom zochor (noun, sho’-lem zo’-cher). A party for a newborn male, held on the Friday night after his birth. Also,
shalom zachor
(shalom’ za-chor’).

shrek
(noun). A fright. Colloquially, Yikes! Or, what a
shrek!

shul
(noun). Synagogue. Plural,
shuls.

siddur (noun, sid-dur’ or sid’-dur). Prayerbook.

Sukkot (noun, suk-kot’). Eight-day harvest festival that begins five days after Yom Kippur. Also, Succos (Suc’-ces).

tallis (noun, tal’-lis). Prayer shawl. Also, tallit (tal-lit’).

Talmud (noun, tal’-mud). Body of work composed of the Mishna— the oral law—and Gemara, its commentaries.

tateleh (noun, ta’-te-leh). Little father.

tayereh kindt (phrase, ta’-ye-reh kindt). Dear child (endearment).

teffilin (noun, te-fil’-lin; te-fil-lin’). Phylacteries: black boxes containing verses from the Scriptures that males use in daily prayer.

teshuvah (noun, te-shu’-veh or te-shu-vah’). Repentance.

Torah (noun, To’-rah or To-rah’). The Bible; also, the parchment scroll itself.

tznius (noun, tzni’-us). Modesty. Also, tzniut (tzni-ut’).

yarmulke (noun, yar’-mul-ke). Skullcap. The Hebrew is kippah (kee’pah or kee-pah’).

yeshiva (noun, ye-shi’va or ye-shi-va’). School of Jewish study.

z’chus (noun, zeh-chus’). Merit. Also, zechut (ze-chut’).

zeck
(noun). Sack.

zeeskeit (noun, zees’-keit). Sweetheart. Also, ziskeit.

zeidie (noun, zā’-die). Grandfather. Also, zeidi, zeide, zeideh, zaydie.

zemirot (noun, ze-mi-rot’; plural of ze’-mer). Songs usually sung during the Sabbath or holiday meals.

A Reading Group Guide for Now You See Me...

Two years ago a teacher at an Orthodox Jewish high school told me she suspected that a few of her female students were cutting themselves.

“How do you know?” I asked.

I recall being disturbed and saddened, but not shocked. The Orthodox community attempts to shelter its own from the dangers of the secular world, but no community is invulnerable.

“Five months ago these girls were pushing the envelope, coming this close to violating the school’s dress policy,” the teacher said. “Now their sleeves cover their wrists—even when the temperature’s in the eighties. So I know.”

I had been contemplating writing a novel about teens at risk. I had a folder thick with articles I’d clipped from newspapers and magazines: Teens and the Internet. Teens and chat room predators. Teens who self-mutilate. Teens who cheat. Teens with eating disorders. The risk of suicide for teens taking antidepressants.

Now You See Me
explores the challenges faced by young people on the verge of adulthood, young people who are eager to establish their own identities, but are frightened and confused. Young people who may feel disenfranchised, isolated, burdened with their parents’ expectations and their own feelings of inadequacy, pressured by their peers, and desperate to fit in.

Young people, and those no longer young, who feel that no one really sees them.

Rochelle Krich

Questions for Discussion

Molly initially resists agreeing to search for Hadassah Bailor. She feels inadequate to the task and has unresolved issues with Hadassah’s father. Did you sympathize with her reluctance, or did you find it petty? What made Molly overcome that reluctance?

Rumor and innuendo can permanently damage a person’s reputation, and by extension, that of a family, especially within a close-knit, traditional community like Hadassah’s. Can you understand why the Bailors didn’t want to involve an outsider in their search for Hadassah? Would you have handled the situation differently?

What was your impression of Rabbi Bailor? Of his wife, Nechama? Of their son Gavriel? Of Aliza, Hadassah’s sister? Of Reuben Jastrow? Did your impression of these characters change throughout the course of the novel?

How would you describe the dynamics of the Bailor family? Do you think the Bailors are representative of the average American family? In what way, if any, did they contribute to Hadassah’s feelings of isolation? Do you think they ignored signs that Hadassah was unhappy, or was Hadassah effective in hiding her feelings?

How did you feel about Sarah, Hadassah’s best friend? Do you fault her for keeping Hadassah’s secret about her online boyfriend?

Aside from the opening chapter, I intended to tell the story entirely from Molly’s point of view. But Hadassah insisted on having her own voice. How did her voice affect the story?

At what point did you become worried about Hadassah’s safety? What factors intensified your concern? Did you fear that, like Shakespeare’s Juliet, she would kill herself?

Do you think teens are at greater risk today than they were a decade ago? If so, why? Does the media exaggerate and possibly contribute to the problem? How can we reduce the risks teenagers face? How can we protect them? Empower them?

Do you think that parents are naïve about the dangers of the Internet and lax in monitoring their children’s online activities? Aside from the tips mentioned in the novel, do you have other suggestions?

Do you see a difference between cheating on an exam and buying term papers or other material online? In what ways do schools and parents contribute to the problem? Why don’t teenagers view plagiarism as cheating?

Was Molly justifiably angered by Rabbi Bailor’s equivocations and lies? Did he “owe” her the truth, even if that truth jeopardized him and his family? Molly herself equivocates—with Connors, with Rabbi Bailor and others. Is she being hypocritical?

What was your impression of Cheryl Wexner? Do you think she was inappropriate in making her son her confidant? At what point did she first suspect that Justin was somehow involved with Greg Shankman’s death? Was she in denial?

Were you shocked to learn that Justin killed Greg? Do you believe that Justin felt remorse? Do you view Justin as evil or damaged goods?

The death of a child can create tremendous stress on a marriage. Discuss the relationship between the McIntyres. Do you see a possibility of their remarrying?

I had originally intended to have Molly rescue Hadassah from Justin, but Hadassah ultimately saves herself, transforming herself from “Dinah” to “Yael.” Was this transformation believable?

Do you believe that Rabbi Bailor attempted to defend Molly when he was her teacher fourteen years ago?

At the end of the novel, Hadassah asks Molly if she thinks Justin loved her. Do you believe he did?

Discuss the title,
Now You See Me,
as it applies to the characters in the novel.